The Indictment Here Is Serious

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” [Acts 2.37-39] 

There is a phrase within the text above that should be considered. It follows the directive to repent and precedes the directive to be baptized. That phrase is the second of three directives given, "turn to God." 

It should be understood that the instruction to "turn to God" was a simpler directive in the 1st Century than it is today. Why?

The advancement of mankind, in broad terms, speaks of man's improvement of his own situation and the situations around him. In nearly every facet of life, man, over the millennia has developed improvements to make his life better - more prosperous, more secure, more healthy, and more comfortable. This process first began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together in effort to improve their situation of nakedness.

At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. [Genesis 3.7]

Up until this time, Adam and Eve had never felt vulnerable - they had never experienced shame. The fig leaf garments did not take the vulnerability away, but were a primitive, but nonetheless man-made solution to cover their vulnerability. That vulnerability was a glaring beacon of having turned away from God.

From the Garden of Eden up to this present day, man has ever been developing solutions for his vulnerabilities, decreasingly mindless of the fact that every vulnerability of man is intrinsically tied to disobedience. As the story of the Garden of Eden developed, God eventually went on to clearly define man's vulnerabilities - all resultant to man turning away from Him (disobedience) - in Deuteronomy 28 in the Bible. 

In broad categories, the vulnerabilities of man defined in Deuteronomy 28 as curses deal with money, misfortune, sickness, and difficulty. These vulnerabilities are all the result of turning away from God.

Particularly in the last few centuries of human history, the industrialization of man-made solutions for man's vulnerabilities has literally skyrocketed. The industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology all address man's vulnerabilities - and are all applauded for doing so - but do nothing for the "turning away from God" sin problem behind the vulnerabilities. In fact, as time would reveal, these industries designed to remedy man's vulnerabilities have become the driving forces behind the very vulnerabilities they propose to remedy! These industries, as man-made solutions that bypass dealing with the sin of turning away from God (idolatry), have become the cause of vulnerability in themselves because man turns to them as idols instead of to God!

Peter's words in Acts 2.37-39, "turn to God" were indeed a simpler directive then than they are now. "Turning to God" now would upset nearly every facet of modern life. Who is willing to repent today and turn to God (meaning to turn away from every idol and idol-industry that treats his vulnerabilities)?

Perhaps this discussion sheds some light on why "salvation" today looks nothing like "salvation" described in the early development of the Church. Perhaps this is why the "Holy Spirit" today looks nothing like the Holy Spirit looked in Acts. The indictment here is serious. 

Father, I am convicted all over again today about everything I turn to for my vulnerabilities instead of turning to You. May Your light continue to shine through Your Word! May I be found turning to You. I intend today to give up my own way, take up my cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

God Knows My Heart

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” [Luke 2.25-35] 

Is there significance that resultant to Jesus' Advent the deepest thoughts of many hearts would be revealed?

Yes, in fact, there is. The prophet Jeremiah spoke about the human heart:

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [Jeremiah 17.9]

If the human heart is the most deceitful thing there is, and Jesus revealed that deceit, what was it about Jesus that accomplished that? What did Jesus say that revealed the human hearts' deceit?

It is my belief that Jesus said many things that revealed deceit in the human heart. But first, we should understand what that deceit actually is. To do so, we need only to understand the context of Jeremiah's exposé of the human heart in Jeremiah 17.9. The undeniable context of Jeremiah's prophecies was God's dealings with His people regarding their idolatry.

Now, if we consider references to the heart found in Matthew's Gospel alone, much can be learned. Take a moment to see those references here. While every "heart" reference found in Matthew's Gospel has eternal significance, one of those references clearly identifies the idolatry problem:

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ [Matthew 13.15]

How does Matthew 13.15 identify idolatry? Because Matthew 13.15 is almost verbatim idolatry terminology!

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 115.4-8]

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 135.15-18] 

Idolatry, at its basest, is a sin of the heart. It is in fact the original sin committed by Adam and Eve when they doubted God's intent in forbidding that they eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Instead of trusting God for what He actually said, they, at Satan's lying suggestion, put their self interests above God's Word. And, from then up to this very day, man has, from the heart, made self-centric decisions believing lies and effectively doubting God. 

In pure self interest, man has made for himself idols to do for himself what God promised He would do for those who obey Him (blessings). Man's idols offer remedies that require no repentance from man for his curse-causing disobedience to God (see Deuteronomy 28). Every financial problem, tragedy, sickness and difficulty in life is the result of sin. Every effort (way) of man to remedy these problems instead of repenting is idolatry. God's attitude about idolatry is no secret: He strictly forbids it in any way, shape, form, or fashion.

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

And here is where Jesus' directive to His followers becomes even more demanding:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

What "way" should we suppose Jesus was talking about? Our clue is the fact that Jesus said "your own way." "Your own" way cannot be God's way. If it's not God's way, then it is self-centered - it is idolatry. For the record, Jesus did not say "dial it back a little" but instead, "give it up."

The human heart's deceit is its self-centeredness. Man's self-centeredness is what Jesus' entire life and ministry shed light on. That self-centeredness is addressed head-on in Matthew 16.24. Indeed Jesus revealed (and reveals) the deepest thoughts of many hearts.

Father in heaven, in just my 2nd day reading in the New Testament this year in the One Year Chronological Bible, there is no break in Your Bible-long focus on overcoming idolatry in man so that Your might redeem him. May this truth no longer be cloaked by powerless Word-less religion (an idol unto itself) but instead be revealed as the power of Your Holy Spirit displaces it in those who are truly students of Your Word - those who actually give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

Rogue Faith Must End In Divorce

When these things had been done, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many of the people of Israel, and even some of the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the other peoples living in the land. They have taken up the detestable practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. For the men of Israel have married women from these people and have taken them as wives for their sons. So the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage.” [Ezra 9.1-2] 

Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them: “You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel’s guilt. So now confess your sin to the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from these pagan women.” [Ezra 10.10-11]

In 2017 I wrote the article We Must Divorce The World. Since that time, and having remained faithful to read and meditate on God's whole Word every day, my understanding of Ezra's 9th chapter has only become more congealed. 

The course of action Ezra led God's people to in Ezra 9-10 is indeed the course of action necessary for God's people to take today. The problem then and the problem now are one and the same: idolatry.

Ezra's reference to the detestable practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites is summed up in the word idolatry. These people groups were all well-known and well-documented in the Bible for their gross idolatry. Instead of trusting in and relying only on the LORD God, they were beholding to a plethora of idols. And from that base of idolatry, all manner of detestable practices was the norm. For this reason, God's people were strictly forbidden from intermingling with the idolatrous Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.

The reason God prohibited comingling with idolatry and idolatrous people is because it renders the faith of the comingling offender ineffective. It did then, and it does now. Faith in anything other than, or even in addition to, God is "rogue faith" finding its basis in the reasoning of man. This rogue faith was first identified in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve, at the behest of Satan, believed a "reasonable" assumption about God over what God had specifically said. 

Rogue faith sounds good and makes perfect human sense - however, it disregards God's Word thus removing itself from God's protective and abundant blessings (see Deuteronomy 28) thereby earning curses instead. In this condition, the idolater must rely on his own ways and means (his man-made idols) for blessings otherwise provided miraculously by God.

Rogue faith is exactly what Jesus prohibited (as should be expected from the Son of God) in His version of the first three Commandments:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24] 

Rogue faith believes that man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology are allowed by God. So perverse has this idolatry become that God's own people have even come to believe that these idol industries are gifts from God! IT'S NO WONDER GOD'S MIRACULOUS POWER IS GLARINGLY ABSENT FROM THE MODERN CHURCH! 

It is also unsurprising that the abovementioned man-made idol industries all promote perverse activities strictly forbidden in the Bible that are undeniably traceable to idolatry. Hardly a commercial advertisement of these man-made industries does not depict some form of perversion. And yet, God's people sign right up for the goods and services of these industries thinking nothing of paying for interest, premiums, prescriptions, and gadgetry that unashamedly have "nasty" written all over them. 

Again, it is rogue faith that believes God uses these industries and, is in violation of the first three Commandments: #1) Only God, #2) No idols, and #3) Don't confuse the two (misusing God's name).

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

I am not presenting new theology here. I am simply uncovering the truth that has always existed in the pages of the Bible but has been masked by centuries of growing unchecked idolatry. "Divorce" is in store for God's people (if they are indeed God's people) to rid themselves of the idols they have adulterously become a common-law spouse to. Jesus is returning for a spotless bride (Ephesians 5.27) - not one in bed with every idol known to man.

Father, "divorce" is a hard word. And yet, after years of living in rogue faith sin with man-made idols, it is the only solution. How will we survive without our idols? We will survive trusting only in You through Your Son, Jesus Christ giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Him! May we be found so doing!

Who Wants To Follow Jesus?

The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the LORD, the God of Israel. So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel replied, “You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.” [Ezra 4.1-3] 

Idolatry is all about dilution. Idols are enemies of God, and, as such, all they need to do is infiltrate pure trust in God to taint it rendering it ineffective and powerless.

This dilution with idols is the repeated story of the Bible and it is the very thing Jesus recognized and called His followers to avoid.

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

"Your own way" is the way of man - the way of idolatry. When man makes for himself something to do for himself what God said He ALONE would do for man, it is an idol. God has a 'zero tolerance' policy toward idolatry:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.2-6]

When questioning why the Church today is powerless when compared to the early Church, this important lesson from Ezra 4.1-3 should be considered. The Church has allowed the idols of the world to infiltrate and 'work alongside' its Kingdom work rendering that Kingdom work diluted, powerless, and worldly. 

There is but one solution for the modern Church to return to any form of God's power: get rid of the world's idols! Idols abound today and they are easily identified. All one has to do to identify modern idols in the Church is to simply listen to what the Church justifies as "from God." In other words, what follows the words, "God uses..." will almost certainly be an idol. Instead of decrying the infiltration of idols, the Church today (by and large) fully embraces them making bold statements that "God uses finance (debt)," or "God uses insurance," or "God uses medicine," or "God uses technology."

To be clear, God did not give us finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Man made all these things in his impatience to wait upon God! And, just to drive this point home, if God "gave" these things, then why do we "pay" for them? Furthermore, even if we somehow twist "give" to mean "sell," then, why don't we pay God for them? Who is selling what?

What could it hurt for God's people to be helped by man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology as long as he believes God provides all these things? Let's just back this same question up a few centuries to Ezra 4.1-3: What could it hurt for God's people to be helped by the enemies of Judah and Benjamin as long as they believe God provides that help?

We need to remind ourselves here that man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology lead the way in promoting self-centered lifestyles that make them enemies of God! Just watch their advertisements! Never once do they promote a disciplined, chaste, God-centered lifestyle. Instead, they promote all manner of sin typical to idolatry. And still we insist they are "gifts from God" and should be employed to help us???

The military tactic "divide and conquer" has stood the test of time. Sadly, it has worked effectively on the Church - God's people. There is no need for an indisputable miracle from God when finance, insurance, medicine and technology are considered 'miracles from God.' Again, the issue of paying for these miracles should cause alarm...

What's even worse is that among God's powerless people, there exist those who adamantly preach and teach that God's miracles have "passed away" while insisting that finance, insurance, medicine and technology are today's miracles from God. Just how diluted have we become? And, somehow, in the mix of this dilution, the clearly defined curses of Deuteronomy 28 are no longer seen as curses attached to disobedience at all, but are just "the way of life." The inconsistency of this theology is astounding and even more so when considering that the overwhelming majority of God's people today embrace it so vehemently!

The solution is this: God's people need to recognize that the curses they remedy with man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology are in fact, God's call to repentance for not trusting and worshiping Him ALONE as God. Then, like those in Ezra 4.1-3, God's people today need to reject the world's help - man's way - altogether. Jesus' words could not be more apropos:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

Now, who wants to follow Jesus? 

Father, I know I sound like a broken record on the topic of idolatry - kind of like the entire Bible! I realize my own hesitancy to live what I preach is glaring... May I be found giving up my own way, taking up my cross, and following Jesus. That's all. So be it.

Just Ask Ancient Egypt

And so I will greatly punish Egypt, and they will know that I am the LORD.” [Ezekiel 30.19]

As much as mankind wants to deny or ignore God, He is unavoidable.

God's people today find it easy to attribute a beautiful landscape filled with good things to God, but struggle to see Him in a complete disaster.

As a person begins to know God - really know the Most High God of the Bible, that person recognizes Him as the God of blessing AND the God of curses. God's holy character (holiness) is on display in a beautiful sunset AND in a devastating earthquake. This character of God is established.

While it may be a struggle to see any consistency in God if at once He blesses people, then at once He curses people, to really know God however, one understands that it is not God Who is inconsistent, but man. God's character of holiness is unchanged. Holiness rewards obedience with blessings and rewards disobedience with curses (see Deuteronomy 28). In this, God's character of holiness is both consistent and even predictable.

Man, on the other hand, swings from obedience to disobedience with very little persuasion. While man fluctuates between good and evil, God remains consistently holy. In this way, blessings upon obedience and curses upon disobedience should NEVER EVER be confused; God's holiness is the definitive and consistent litmus test for man's heart and actions.

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. [Proverbs 26.2]

Is it any wonder that the great deceiver, Satan, would try to confuse man on the issue of good and evil?

What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. [Isaiah 5.20]

Without firmly understanding that blessings follow obedience and curses follow disobedience EVERY TIME because God is holy, man's sorrow is immeasurable. 

God's holiness, demonstrated through blessings, calls for the worship of thanksgiving and praise. God's holiness, demonstrated through curses, calls for the worship of repentance. A true believer in God does not argue with God regarding blessings or curses, but rather, worships God either way. 

He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. [Job 1-21-22]

God decides what is right or wrong, good or evil.

In the present condition of mankind and the earth from a Biblical perspective, it might be argued that man should be repenting all the time. Most people take issue with this. Let me re-phrase that: most people proudly take issue with this. The pride of man exalts itself against the very Word of God denying that curses are justified indicators of the need for repentance. While religion may indeed present all kinds of work-arounds for this Biblically established fact, religion will burn in hell because God's holiness is not to be trifled with. Just ask ancient Egypt.

For everyone bursting at the seams right now to say, "Yeah, but Jesus!" let us be Biblically clear:

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]

There is a "catch" however... Jesus' work on the cross only belongs to those who "believe."

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [John 3.16]

"Believing" in Jesus means following Jesus:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

"Our own way" is the way of self-preservation, self-love, self-promotion, etcetera. Everything that has anything to do with this focus on "self" is an idol and God will not tolerate idols. By "not tolerate" it means that God's holiness rewards idolatry with curses. Jesus' call for would-be followers to give up their own way is the 2.0 version of God's 2nd Commandment. 

Belief in Jesus is obedience to God. Disbelief in Jesus is disobedience to God - Jesus described this as the default condition of man:

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. [John 3.18]

In plain language, curses, as the reward for every disobedience, are the standing work of God's holiness upon every "unbeliever" but ONLY upon "unbelievers" (remember, Christ has rescued believers from the curse pronounced by the law...). We do well to understand this contrast!

So, why do bad things happen to "believers"? Because, regardless how good they are estimated to be, there is need for repentance. Religion will not teach this! But, God's Word does! Jesus put the whole "good person" idea in the trash:

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. [Mark 10.18 (& Luke 18.19)]

What would be wrong if God's people constantly repented? Would that not put them in a perpetual state of humility? Is not humility the very essence of selfless living? Is not selfless living what Jesus called every would-be follower to (to give up your own way, take up your cross...)? Religion, at this point, changes the subject... and how many souls have been damned to hell because of it?

All the hardships of life we experience (curses for disobedience) that we remediate with our idols of finance, insurance, medicine, technology, and yes, even religion are God's call to repentance. They are God's call for us to intentionally trust ONLY in Him - giving up our own way (which is the essence of repentance), taking up our cross, and following Jesus - to KNOW that HE IS THE LORD!

And so I will greatly punish Egypt, and they will know that I am the LORD.” [Ezekiel 30.19]

I may be wrong, but God's Word is not wrong. Please, dear reader, be sure of God's Word regardless what I say!

Father, may Your truth shine bright in these days in which we live. Darkness has been embraced by much of the world, the "fields are white unto harvest..." Send Your Word out today - may it cast Your Light upon the gross idolatry of our day including the idolatry of religion! May Your true followers be found giving up their own way, taking up their cross, and following Jesus... unmistakably, undeniably following Jesus. So be it.

What Do You Believe, Really?

Deuteronomy 28. Read it.

From yesterday's One Year Chronological Bible reading came the following insight into curses...

“If someone has committed a crime worthy of death and is executed and hung on a tree, the body must not remain hanging from the tree overnight. You must bury the body that same day, for anyone who is hung is cursed in the sight of God. In this way, you will prevent the defilement of the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession. [Deuteronomy 21.22-23]

The verse above is undoubtedly the passage referred to in the following popular verse:

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13] 

So, if a person is TRULY in Christ and redeemed from the curse of the law, how does he explain why he still experiences any or all of the curses described in Deuteronomy 28 (and not the blessings)? What do you believe, really?

What follows the question posed above is always a torrent of confusing and confounding religious nonsense. Few if any are willing to admit that the Bible's clear indicators of blessings or curses are, in fact, indicators of obedience or disobedience respectively in the Old Testament - and indicators of faith or unbelief respectively in the New Testament!

Just holding each others' hands and singing Kumbaya doesn't save anyone. In fact, without faith, it is impossible to please God. Without faith, it is impossible to enter heaven. Without faith, a person is not saved.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. [Ephesians 2.8]

Faith is not something God gave us to abstractly mitigate trials and tribulations! God gave faith to move mountains, to change circumstances miraculously, OR to dive headlong into circumstances fearlessly accepting death as Jesus did on the Cross (see Hebrews 11). Yes, faith is not always living, but sometimes it is dying in refusal to accept the world's mitigation of circumstances (not my words, read all of Hebrews 11)!

The Church's widespread and abstract view of blessings and curses (mostly its pathetic mitigation of curses coupled with unashamed embrace of the world's solutions of debt, insurance, medicine and technology) renders it "without testimony" in the world today as it pertains to the stark contrast of blessings and curses presented in the Bible.

Is it any wonder Jesus said:

But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.14]

I think most Christians believe Jesus was only kidding when He said this. But He wasn't!

Father, You gave very clear indicators to us to determine our standing with You. Forgive me for ignoring those indicators. Forgive me for feeding my unbelief with worldly solutions instead of feeding my faith with Your Word - even if it costs me my life... So be it.

Miracles

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. [Acts 2.22]

What Peter said here is interesting.

Why would God publicly endorse Jesus? The answer is simple: because God sent Him - Jesus was doing God's will.

Now, look at something Jesus said:

Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” [John 20.21]

For anyone to think God would not then endorse us in the same way as Jesus is just ridiculous.

This is even further amplified by the rest of what Jesus said in context of John 20.21:

Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” [John 20.21-23]

What are miracles about anyway? Miracles are, in fact, the direct result of forgiveness of sins (both general and specific). One can choose to turn to limitless commentaries and volumes of explanations based on who knows what, or one can look directly at the Scriptures in Deuteronomy 28 and see that the results (curses) of sin (disobedience) are all spelled out there in both general and specific descriptions. Miracles are the erasure of these well-defined curses through forgiveness and the subsequent implementation of blessings in their place (again, defined both generally and specifically).

As we see in John 20, Jesus commissioned His followers to mirror His ministry on earth. Then, He empowered them with the Holy Spirit with clear instruction what that empowerment does: it forgives. And, if this is not convincing enough, we have Jesus on record identifying healing as the act of forgiveness:

Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” [Matthew 9.4-6]

Jesus also gave us a clue here to understand something else He said in another passage that might, to the novice follower of Jesus, seem contradictory:

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” [John 9.1-5]

The key to understanding this is to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 9 above: So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins. The authority to forgive sins is what Jesus was given and sent to do and subsequently what we are given and sent to do. Because of what Jesus was trying to get His disciples to see about "not judging," it was imperative they stay focused on forgiveness rather than judging! Time is limited that Jesus is on the earth! That time is carried on through the lives of all who are "in Christ" and "in whom Christ is." Judgement is coming, but it is not us who bring it!

So, why don't we see more miracles today? Perhaps miracles are not the problem, but forgiveness.

Jesus said this unapologetically:

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. [Matthew 6.14-15]

What is God's endorsement of forgiveness? Miracles.

This is what the Bible says.

Father, I want to live and walk in forgiveness. As Christ is in me, time for the earth is limited to receive that forgiveness.

Listen To God - Avoid Disaster

Listen, all the earth! I will bring disaster on my people. It is the fruit of their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me. They have rejected my word. [Jeremiah 6.19]

Notice that in the verse above God says, "I will bring disaster on my people" but He also says, "It is the fruit of their own schemes..."

"Disaster" is justice served. Bad things do not happen to good people. NEVER. Bad things are the fruit of people's own schemes. ALWAYS. Otherwise, there is simply no way to determine what is "God" executing justice and what is not. Otherwise, man is left to chance and chance alone. Otherwise, there are no clear lines between justice and chance.

Only one ignorant of God and His Word would say God sanctions bad things to happen to good people. That person simply does not understand the nature and character of Almighty God. And, while that person may diligently isolate one scripture reference to support his folly, he will never change the overriding person of God presented in the Bible as the One Who is good, and Whose mercy endures forever. He will never change what the Psalmist presented:

You are good and do only good... [Psalm 119.68a]

The ONLY reason bad things are even present in life is sin. Curses are the result of sin and only sin. There is no curse that is not tied eternally to sin:

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. [Proverbs 26.2]

It is the glory of God and His Son Jesus Christ to overcome the curse and curses of sin. While Jesus' disciples (who often did not understand their own motivation) questioned why a man was born blind, Jesus' answer is telling to say the least:

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” [John 9.1-5]

Among many other "bad things," Deuteronomy 28 is CLEAR that blindness is a curse. Jesus did NOT refute this FACT here as some would think. However, He did indicate that Adam's sin unleashed a torrent of not only direct but random curses upon mankind. So, why did God allow Adam to sin in the first place? So He might receive glory in His powerful provision of Jesus to redeem mankind from what mankind could not redeem itself! So, we must be diligent to understand that Jesus did not say in the passage above that blindness was not the result of sin. Jesus' focus was the Kingdom of God evidenced in everything He did - the Kingdom of God AND ITS POWER! The blindness, which is eternally tied to sin, is representative of the condition of man's soul which only the POWER of God can redeem.

Jesus was making it very clear here that just because this fellow was good enough that no particular sin could be attributed to his blindness, he was still a sinner in need of the power of God to redeem him!

It is worth pointing out here also that Jesus was in the world in His physical body, but is also present in this world today through His spiritual Body - the Church! He remains in the world today - bringing the Kingdom of God and His Light through the Church! The "night" has not yet come because Christ remains in the world - so there is WORK to be done!

Unless, of course, if we are found as those who "...refuse to listen to me [God]. They have rejected my word."

Father, I want to listen to You. I do not want to reject Your Word!

Why More Curses Than Blessings?

Deuteronomy 28

Why is it that, in Deuteronomy 28, there are so many more curses for disobedience than there are blessings for obedience?

For one thing, blessings are often overlooked. Most people do not fully recognize blessings until they are taken away. It is then, when curses come into view, that blessings may be contrasted and therefore seen.

In fact, the opposite of, or absence of, every curse is a blessing! 

The opposite of the curse of sickness is health.

The opposite of the curse of slavery is freedom.

the opposite of the curse of poverty is wealth.

The opposite of the curse of failure in everything is success in everything.

The opposite of the curse of loss is gain.

The opposite of the curse of oppression is peace.

The reason there are so many more curses defined than blessings could very possibly be because we need to understand that curses, by nature, are overwhelming.

Rarely does a person of normal health think about and appreciate every single breath he or she breathes. But take that breath away or diminish it greatly and then see what becomes important!

That's what curses do - by nature, they go for the obvious blessings in our life, but they also go for the less recognized blessings in our lives. That's what makes curses so terrifying - there are no boundaries. Curses are so bad that they cause people to eat their own children!

It is almost as if, there are many reasons to obey God and be blessed, however, there are many more reasons not to disobey God and be cursed.

But there is more to it. Another reason curses are so well-defined (compared to blessings) is because God knew a day would come when people became confused about what was a blessing and what was a curse. That day is today.

By the standards of Deuteronomy 28, a great many folks today are accustomed to lives of curses. Just in the realm of health alone, people live in curses instead of blessings. Unfortunately, many misguided doctrines of the Church have made this acceptable and, in some cases, have even glorified it. These curses are described as clear as day in Deuteronomy 28 and yet people still do not understand these curses' "call to repentance" for the reversal of their imposition.

Now, before going all "that's Old Testament..." on me, consider Galatians 3.13:

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]

God has only one intention for curses on anyone's life: to bring them to repentance and faith in Christ... and, therefore, into every blessing for obedience described in Deuteronomy 28 (like it is in heaven)!

God gives us plenty of reason to obey Him. But, knowing our bent on sin, God gave us many more reasons NOT to disobey Him! He's good like that! He knows what speaks to us and what we pay attention to!

Father, thank You for being so detailed in describing the curses for disobedience - so that in my thick-headed understanding I might 'get it' that the curses really are bad... and to be avoided!

Faith Requires Obedience

Deuteronomy 28

If there is something I can glean from reading Deuteronomy 28 today, it is that God's character rewards obedience and very much opposes disobedience.

I am sure the discussions and arguments about Old Covenant / New Covenant are not soon to end, but this fact about God's character should be retained throughout. Whether one is more inclined to strictly obey Old Covenant laws or has found the freedom of New Testament faith, the starting point is obedience! God's character requires obedience across all time.

Yes, faith requires obedience.

What is the obedience of faith? It is Kingdom work. It is the work we witnessed Jesus do on earth. It is living and working in the earthly realm by heavenly Kingdom principles. It is the life of Christ being perpetuated post-resurrection and ascension through our lives. The obedience of faith is not "seeing" but believing. It is acting like our Father in heaven Who calls things that are not as though they were. It is telling mountains to move. It is bringing salvation in their place. It is denying worldly, earthly facts in the name of Truth. It is risking all that is seen to obey that which is not seen.

You see, faith is not just a convenience - it is a requirement - for by grace are you saved through faith!

Father, just as Israel had the Law in all its detail, we have faith in all its detail. There is so much to learn and live by - all to rest in faith. Thank You for Your Word that so capably initiates this process in us daily!

Obedience Is Simple

Deuteronomy 28 is pretty intense.  It spells out the blessings or curses upon Israel dependent upon whether they obey or rebel against God.

I don't know if it is significant or not, but the curses takes much more 'space' in their description than do the blessings.  What's up with that?  I am not asking this question in a challenging or rebellious sort of way, but rather in a curious way - is there something we should take away from this fact?

Just processing this for a bit causes me to reflect that this is pretty true to life.  In fact, there seem to be many more laws concerning what we are not allowed to do than what we are allowed to do.

Perhaps it could be surmised that if people obey God, life is much simpler.  Frankly, in my own life, I can attest to this.

On the other hand, when people live in rebellion to God, it does occur to me that that lifestyle is much more complicated.

So maybe this is not such a mystery after all.  Disobedience carries with it the fruit of confusion, helplessness and all sorts of negative life situations that uselessly consume time and energy for nothing good in return. 

Obedience carries the fruit of peace.  Peace is not complicated or overwhelming.  Peace is simple. 

Father, I feel like You have given some insight here as to why rebellion seems to require more verbiage than obedience.  It's just like You to make Your blessings simple.  You are good - real good.